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The Board of Directors of Motherwell FC have had further discussions with Erik & Courtney Barmack (Wild Sheep Sports) in relation to their proposed investment into MFC.

Both parties have considered all feedback received to date during the on-going consultation period.

Consequently, it has been agreed to amend the investment proposal as follows:

1. The new proposal is that at the end of the 6-year investment period, the Well Society remain the majority shareholder in MFC with 50.1% shareholding.

As a result, Wild Sheep Sports shareholding reduces to 47% from the original proposal. The balance of shares would still remain with the existing other shareholders.

Therefore, Fan Ownership is guaranteed with the Well Society remaining the majority shareholder by itself.

2. The 50.1% majority shareholding of the Well Society would be achieved by converting half of the debt that was going to be removed in year 6 into shares for the Well Society.

Therefore, the increase in the Well Society shareholding would not require the Well Society to invest any additional sums to the original proposal.

3. The new proposal also reduces the buyback amount from £660k to £630k, making it easier for the Well Society to exercise the call option should they feel that Wild Sheep Sports is not adding strategic value to the Club.

Should any shareholder or Well Society member require any further information please contact shares@motherwellfc.co.uk or members@thewellsociety.uk.

Voting will commence on the 8th July, with MFC shareholders and Well Society members receiving further information on how to do so in due course.

On Monday 10 June 2024 both the club Board and Well Society Board released statements on the proposed investment from Erik and Courtney Barmack.

Prior to a formal vote on that proposed investment, a period of consultation was built in.

This was to ensure that when shareholders and WS members cast their votes that they do so in possession of any additional information they want – they were actively encouraged by both boards to communicate all those information requests.

It has been suggested that the original club Board statement was too long, but the overwhelming view since its issue is that voters would like more information.

There is also a need to address a large body of inaccurate information being shared on social media as fact.

While differing views are to be expected on various aspects of the deal (external investment was never going to be met with unanimous approval) what should be a given is that the way people decide to vote is based on accurate information.

Consequently, this is a lengthy statement and contains a lot of financial and legal technical details.

It has also been suggested that the club Board should be informing voters on the investment proposal by public meeting.

The view of the club Board is that given over 3,000 people are entitled to vote on the proposal, communicating through the publication of statements ensures all voters are privy to the same information. Public meetings, where many will be unable to attend, cannot achieve the same coverage.

The overwhelming requests for more information can be broadly grouped into four main areas –

• The current club finances – why did the club seek investment?
• The valuation of the club
• The club’s share ownership
• The club Board

Current club finances and why did the club seek investment

The club is not in any imminent financial difficulty – we are not examining investment because of short term pressures.

As the club board noted to the shareholders at its last AGM, the club did end the financial year to 31 May 2024 with sufficient cash in the bank to cover all its short-term debt.

The club’s financial results for the financial year to 31 May 2024 are still to be finalised mainly because some of the club’s key income figures are determined by awards from football bodies etc. These are not within the club’s control and will not be finalised until the autumn. This situation occurs every year and at all football clubs.

However, as previously reported by the club Board its financial monitoring shows the significant losses reported in the last two financial years have not re-occurred. This is primarily due to a significant increase in transfer income, some of which is still to be exactly quantified by the FIFA clearing house process, and this will play in a major role in how much profit the club will report or whether it has simply achieved a financial result around break even before depreciation and the Covid loan notional interest.

For the financial year to 31 May 2025, if there were to be no transfer income and no significant cup runs, then for the first time in many years the club would require significant financial support from the Well Society reserves to cover its operational costs.

This requires a number of clarifications, but it also has to be understood the club Board is limited in certain areas in the information it can release.

Under legal and commercial confidentiality clauses etc. it cannot release details of transfer agreements, player contracts, SPFL contracts, club commercial contracts etc., therefore, requests for this information cannot be met.

The club does not currently have an increase in season ticket income built in for the season ahead – the club reported season ticket sales during the early bird window were higher than last year but that does not automatically mean it will have an increase in season ticket numbers and sales at the start of the season.

SPFL central revenues are very likely to show a small increase next season. While the SPFL has recently announced some new commercial deals, the figures connected to these deals being reported by some supporters on social media are wildly inaccurate.

As noted previously, we cannot advise what the financial numbers on these deals are, but they are only likely to make a very limited difference to our income.

We cannot allow voters on this very important matter to be under the impression that the club will not require access to Well Society reserves due to massive increases in SPFL central revenues, massive increases which don’t exist.

A similar situation exists in regard to UEFA solidarity revenues. There is, as widely reported, a new UEFA solidarity award system coming into operation from next season.

The exact rules for distribution are not finalised but, in a season, where Scotland has a team in the new Champions League group stage there is almost certainly a significant increase in the Club’s UEFA solidarity award. That will be the situation next season.

However, both the club and Well Society’s boards were aware that in these challenging economic times many supporters were struggling with the cost of attending football and supporting the team.

Therefore, the club Board agreed with the Well Society board that there would be a season ticket and gate price freeze for next season which effectively the club is “funding” through the anticipated increase in its UEFA solidarity award monies.

In years where no Scottish club plays in the new Champions’ League group stages, and Scotland has no automatic place the season after next, UEFA solidarity awards are vastly reduced. So future income from this source would come down significantly.

The club’s ability to finance its operations in recent years has been mainly down to transfer income. This will be further highlighted in the valuation part of this statement.

Transfer income is by its nature unpredictable especially in an era where players can run down contracts and players in our academy system are targeted by other clubs at earlier and earlier ages with very limited or no compensation involved.

The club has also been facing the same cost pressures as households up and down the country and like many businesses its payroll costs have been ever increasing – salaries in the football player market have been impacted by record spending from English clubs and the national living wage has increased by at least 30% in every age category over the last 3 years which drives up salary structures throughout the club.

If the club was unable to generate significant transfer income for a period of time, then it has a number of options.

It could seek financial assistance from the Well Society, however there is a limit to how often that can be done especially if the Well Society is on its own as a source of finance.

It could seek to raise finance via debt which would be expensive, impossible to achieve without putting up the club’s assets, such as Fir Park, as security and therefore not a practical answer.

It could drastically scale back its budgets / operations.

It could seek to raise new equity.

These scenarios have been discussed for a number of years with Well Society Boards.

Fresh equity, with the correct investors, was always considered to be the preferred option of both boards and has also been discussed with shareholders at club AGM’s.

It was also agreed by both boards that option is likely to be best achieved in times when the club is in a position of financial health, which is what we are trying to do.

This process has been ongoing for months, not hastily rushed through for any financial reasons.

The valuation of the club

The club Board, which contains directors with experience of valuing businesses along with their network of contacts in the field of sports finance, undertook an extensive valuation exercise before negotiating terms with investors.

There are several different commonly used methodologies in valuing a business where the shares are not publicly traded.

The value of the equity of the club i.e. the shares in the club, in this transaction is £4m.

Many supporters believe that a value of £4m for the club significantly undervalues the club and have queried why we would progress such a deal.

The club Board has a different opinion and it is important to record that a number of investors withdrew from preliminary negotiations because having undertaken their own valuations they believed the club Board was significantly over valuing MFC.

This can only be explained by going through some very detailed technical accounting using the club’s publicly available accounts (it should be noted that the club Board’s exercise had the benefit of more up to date plus the underlying financial information which it cannot for reasons previously explained fully disclose).

Since Season 16/17 (when the Well Society took its majority shareholding) until Season 22/23 (the last publicly available accounts) the correct aggregate of the club’s accounting profit and losses is £2,336,944 (we are aware several different incorrect figures have been posted on social media).

However, as the club Board has explained in its Strategic Reports and at its AGMs these figures contain a very unusual and complex set of accounting entries connected to the Scottish Government Covid Loan.

These arise from the fact that the loan is interest free while most loans from parties unconnected to the club would involve interest charges.

These accounting entries have two major impacts which require to be adjusted for in any valuation exercise.

In Season 20/21 the Club’s Profit includes £1,501,767 of noncash accounting profit and the Club’s balance sheet excludes £1,501,767 of long-term debt.

These hugely significant values are then reversed in subsequent accounts over the lifetime of the Scottish Government Covid Loan (over the next twenty-one years).

Therefore, the profit over the Well Society’s ownership period is not £2,336,944 but by correctly excluding all the Scottish Government Covid Loan entries since Season 20/21 is actually £1,051,694.

This then results in an average annual profit for the club over the Well Society’s ownership period of £150,242.

Many prospective investors made further adjustments to this figure for two main reasons.

The results of more recent years should be given more weight than the results from 6 or 7 years ago and we have made over £1m loss in each of the last two years.

In addition, this profit includes £7,392,281 of transfer income which is inherently volatile.

Applying those caveats would reduce the average annual profit for the club over the Well Society’s ownership period in the context of a business valuation to be a break even position.

The most common way to value a business is to take a multiple of its average annual profit.

This is also the only valuation method which requires the use of multiple years of data.

For a less than 50% stake in a business a multiple of 8 would be considered very high end.

If that multiple were to be applied to the non discounted club’s average annual profit of £150,242 that would result in a club valuation of £1.2m.

The value we are discussing is £4m – which is 3.3 times higher than the average annual earnings valuation (above).

Utilising the average annual profit of £150,242, to reach a valuation of £4m would require a multiplier of 27 which would be unheard of for a business valuation of a football club.

Therefore, £4m is not a significant undervaluation in the view of the club Board.

Many supporters have noted that Fir Park and the playing squad are worth more than £4m.

They undoubtedly are – but one of the absolute safeguards in this proposed investment is that Fir Park remains in the club and cannot be sold.

On a similar point the subject of valuing players when you cannot force them into contract extensions along with the risks around injury etc. is also a significant issue. So, to state that the club is worth much more than £4m by simply aggregating our net assets with a “value” for players is completely wrong.

There has also been some correspondence about whether we are effectively debt free as a club. Without prolonging that there are two very clear points to make.

As previously noted, the very unusual and complex set of accounting entries connected to the Scottish Government Covid Loan create a situation whereby £1.3m of long-term debt does not appear on the club’s balance sheet in its last set of published accounts.

In calculating the club’s available cash, the details of the component elements of the club’s available cash need to be fully considered.

A prime, but not the only, example of this would be that the club’s available cash at the end of every financial year contains the majority of next season’s season ticket sales.

This ensures the club is in a position to meet all its short-term debts over the summer but to suggest that can be offset against long-term debt in some way is again completely inaccurate.

The club’s share ownership

The club currently has just over 300,000 shares in issue.

The Well Society own 71% of these shares with 29% owned by other individual club supporters.

In terms of the 29%, the majority are Well Society members to whom the Well Society sold some of its originally acquired shareholding.

Others are individuals who owned their shares before the Well Society existed and indeed some of these shares have been in their families for generations. Some of them have also joined the Well Society.

The investment proposal revolves around the issuing of new shares.

Consequently, all of the just over 300,000 shares currently in issue remain in issue – they do not cease to exist and none of them are transferred to Erik Barmack.

In return for each of his annual investments Erik Barmack receives new shares issued by the club.

If no other new shares were issued, then Erik Barmack would own all of the new shares and in time far more shares than the current shareholders.

If that situation was allowed to occur, then he would become the majority shareholder and have all the many resulting rights of a majority shareholder.

To avoid any new investor becoming the majority shareholder the only way this can be achieved is for the club to issue new shares (at the exact same price) to be purchased by the Well Society and the current 29% other shareholders if they so wish, who have the legal right to be involved in any new share issue.

This is to preserve fan ownership.

All of the club board believe in fan ownership.

The longer serving board members were all heavily involved in the inception of the Well Society and all sums they have invested in the club since the society’s inception have been made to the Well Society and not directly to the club.

They do not receive remuneration from the club, they gain no financial benefit from this proposal and have the same one vote on the proposal as every other Well Society member.

The investment proposal requires the Well Society to invest further sums to the club and as equity rather than an increase in its loan.

This is also why the investment is being done in instalments over 6 years.

If Erik Barmack invested all of his near £2m investment at the very beginning, then to avoid him becoming the majority shareholder the Well Society would need to almost match his investment at the same time.

The Well Society does not have the cash reserves to do this hence the agreement to stage the investment over six years.

Under the investment proposal in year 6, Erik Barmack would own 49% of the club’s shares.

At this point, he would have become, for the first time, the largest shareholder in the club.

Although the Well Society will have acquired many new shares on top of its existing shares it will have a lower % of the club’s much increased total new share capital having invested less than Erik Barmack and this would also apply to the other shareholders.

This, however, very importantly would not make him the majority shareholder in the club.

A majority shareholder needs to own more than 50% of the club shares.

Most prospective investors immediately withdrew when they realised that they could not acquire at least 51% of the club.

By ensuring the Well Society plus the other club supporters, who as previously noted are also mostly society members (and presumably when the Well Society sold them part of its shares it did so on the assumption it could still rely on their support in future years) had a block vote of 51% it is considered by the club Board that fan ownership has been retained.

It has also been asserted that once Erik acquires his first shareholding the club is effectively stuck with him.

That is inaccurate.

The deal contains a buyout option after two years, which is also a concept which most prospective investors refused to consider.

The buyout option which can be partly funded from any significant transfer fees in the next two years also does not return the Well Society back to where it started.

If enacted the Well Society’s shareholding in the club would increase from its current 71% to close to 90%.

There has also been discussion about asset stripping in future years.

Given the nature of our assets and the safeguards built into the transaction its is very very difficult to see any way that could happen. It is also very rare for an investment to be made in a private company where no value can move in the first six years of that investment.

The club Board

The club Board has historically consisted of 2 business people with connections to the club, 2 Well Society representatives and the club CEO.

A proposal made in conjunction with the Well Society Board was unanimously passed at the last club AGM in February that the club Board should be expanded to 8 persons to improve governance and the club Board’s diversity of skills and views.

Moves to achieve this commenced immediately although a period of transition was always likely.

The Well Society were invited to add a third representative to the club Board and are currently identifying who that person will be.

The current club Board members with the approval of the Well Society Board appointed the club CEO and club FD (Finance Director) to the club Board.

Under the investment proposal the current club chairman (who has delayed his announced retirement to maintain a working quorum on the club Board) would be replaced by Erik Barmack and he will bring with him 2 experienced business professionals to complete the new 8-person board.

It has been asserted that this new board structure results in Erik controlling the club board and therefore the club.

However, even if we assume the 2 experienced business professionals he appoints always vote with him, which is not guaranteed, that still only gives him 37.5% of the board votes.

The exact same % as the Well Society representatives hold and in no circumstances can that be considered to be a controlling % even allowing for the casting vote in a tied vote.

The presence of the club CEO and club FD will be crucial in maintaining an independent balance should it be required, and this has been recognised by both Erik and the Well Society Board (and hopefully it will not be required as both parties have agreed in the preliminary discussions they have had, that they believe they can work well together otherwise the process would not have reached this stage).

It has also been suggested their presence is unimportant or that they will just do as they are told by Erik and in the event of a tie as chairman, he would have the casting vote.

However, leaving aside the integrity of the individuals involved and that they only accepted their board appointments on the grounds that no side would try to unduly influence them, it should also be remembered that neither have any previous connections with Erik or his team.

Indeed, the Well Society Board were heavily involved in the recruitment process of the club CEO who has openly declared the importance of working closely with them and the club FD has been at the club for several years and provided his services to the Well Society on many occasions so it is therefore the Well Society that has an existing relationship with both of them and it is Erik and his team who have to build a relationship with them.

Following the club’s investment update statement on Monday it has, as encouraged and expected, received multiple comments and questions.

The club will address these by providing a comprehensive update early next week.

In the meantime, good luck to Liam and the rest of the Scotland squad tomorrow evening.

Season Ticket holders have just a few days to secure their seat ahead of the new 2024/25 season. 

You are able to renew or purchase your season ticket for the upcoming campaign here.

Season ticket holders have until the 30th of June to secure their seat.

GET YOUR 2024/25 SEASON TICKET NOW

If renewing, login to your ticketing account.

You should then have a notification to ‘renew now’ on your profile.

Then select ‘add to basket’ and follow the on screen instructions to complete the transaction.

It’s easy to buy new. Head here to our online ticketing platform and then press ‘season tickets’.

You’ll then be given the option to choose where in the stadium you would like to sit. From there, you can create yourself an account and then buy your season ticket for the 2024/25 campaign.

Alternatively, call us on 01698 333333 or email tickets@motherwellfc.co.uk.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR

We are introducing a digital Season Ticket for the 24/25 campaign.

Existing season Ticket holders can continue to use their physical Season Ticket card but if you would like to change to a digital Season Ticket, you will need to select this option when purchasing your Season Ticket(s) and your physical card will become void.

If you opt for the digital version, you will receive information by email on how to add your Season Ticket to your digital wallet after you have completed your purchase.

There has been a small change to the age of pricing categories. Young adults will now be ages 14 to 17 and Juvenile will be 13 and under. This is to bring us in line with safeguarding regulations. 13 and under tickets must be purchased with an adult.

PRICES

Season ticket prices have been frozen this year, across the board.

For those renewing their season ticket from 2023/24, concession tickets are for anyone aged 60 and over. For those buying new in 2024/25, it’s 65 and over.

The over 60 concession is for those who currently have this price class, it won’t be valid for any renewing Adult season ticket holders who are now 60.

In addition, concession prices also apply to full time students with a valid matriculation card.

Hospitality

Upgrade your experience and watch the match in stye with one of our renowned hospitality packages at a discounted price (Cat A – Celtic & Rangers).

	Centenary suite	91 Lounge	Cooper box
	Pay bar	Comp bar	2 x drinks
Cat A	£75	£105	N/A
Cat B	£49	£79	£49

Centenary Suite, 91 Lounge and Cooper Box packages remain the same.

Added Benefits

• Discounted hospitality
• Friend for £5 – bring a friend to at least one home match for £5 (decided by the club)
• A free Junior ticket in the Davie Cooper stand with a full paying adult
• Priority Cup Ticket Window – secure your seat for all home cup matches
• Money off at the following outlets:

Love to Travel	Book a holiday in one of the 4 Love to Travel shops and receive free fast-track security through Glasgow Airport and half price lounge or parking at Glasgow Airport
North Lanarkshire Council	NL offers Motherwell Season Ticket holders a corporate rate on memberships for gyms, classes and pools at £29.99 per month. This is a 15% discount Corporate members can also choose one other adult to add to their membership at the same discounted price. To join select corporate membership : Join@home with North Lanarkshire Council (leisurecloud.net)
Inspired Flooring	10% off sofas, furnishing and lighting. 15% off carpets and flooring (material only, not labour) – in store at the Motherwell showroom on Brandon Parade
Tony Macaroni	25% off a la carte food on match days (Motherwell restaurant only)
Village Blinds	20% off
Topps Match Attax	10% discount code for topps.com (includes all cards and stickers to a maximum £15 discount – please phone 01698 333 333 to claim your code)
Double Tree Hilton Strathclyde	8% discount off Best Available Rate at DoubleTree by Hilton Strathclyde
Salt	10% off (not for alcohol and only available Sun-Thurs. Not in conjunction with any other offers)
G&C Leggate Opticians	15% discount on complete spectacles or sunglasses in Motherwell shop
Carluke Golf Club	Visitor four ball for the discounted rate of £80 instead of £120 (Sunday to Friday and subject to tee time availability)
Aroma Coffee Shop	10% off in Wishaw Coffee Shop
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen	20% off food only in the Hamilton restaurant (excludes Saturday)

 

Motherwell Football Club Community Trust

This season we are giving fans the option to donate to the club’s official charity: Motherwell FC Community Trust when they renew their season ticket.

The Trust has is a registered charity and has no core income. Supporting the Trust in whatever way you can allows you to contribute to causes that resonate with your values and beliefs, while also making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need in our community.

A recent UEFA Social Return on Investment report showed that the Trust benefits the local community to the sum of £13.64m each year. Your support can help support families who cannot provide for their children, adults experiencing tough times and allowing countless people a match day experience which will live with them for the rest of their lives.

Additionally the Trust sits at the heart of what our great club is all about: community, empathy and support. If you can support us when you renew your season ticket we would be extremely grateful.

Donation link.

MOTHERWELL DISABLED SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP

For £10 per year, payable alongside your season ticket, disabled supporters, both wheelchair and ambulant, will have access to away match tickets within disabled areas together with car parking, where available.

Members are also invited to regular DSA meetings where they have the ability to raise any concerns that can be taken directly to the club.

Money raised over the years from membership fees has gone back to the club to help fund audio equipment for match day commentary for those who are visually impaired, a new disabled toilet block and an extension to the wheelchair shelter.

If you wish to join the MFCDSA, your £10 can be handed in to the ticket office.

READ OUR BROCHURE

Read our 2024/25 season ticket brochure here.

PAY BY STANDING ORDER

We are offering the option of paying your season ticket through a standing order payment each month.

There is the option to pay your season ticket over a maximum of six standing order payments directly to the club, with no interest payments or fees, providing full payment is made by December 2024.

To set this standing order up, you must contact us directly and complete a form.

Please call into the Ticket Office to arrange.

ACTIVATING YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNT

If you haven’t already registered online and are a season ticket holder, you must activate your account.

If you’re a season ticket holder looking to renew your season tickets and/or buy cup game tickets, you must activate your account before you can buy.

To activate your account, select ‘sign in’ from the top right corner of the ticket page.

Look for Have an existing account? Activate it now.

Input your customer number and surname, then press ‘Find my account’.

Verify your contact details, including an email you have access to, and create a password. Then, save your details. You’re in.

I AM RENEWING

If you wish to renew your season ticket, all you have to do is login to your online ticketing profile at the top right-hand side of the page.

Once you have logged in, you should then have a notification to ‘renew now’.

Then select ‘add to basket’ and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transaction.

I DIDN’T HAVE A 2023/24 SEASON TICKET AND I WANT TO BUY ONE

It’s easy to do this. Head here and then press the profile icon in the top right.

From here, select ‘create an account’ and fill out your personal details.

Once completed, you will be sent an email with your customer number.

You will be taken back to the homepage of the website where you then select ‘season tickets’.

You’ll then be given the option to choose where in the stadium you would like to sit.

Alternatively, call us on 01698 333333 or email tickets@motherwellfc.co.uk.

FAQ

• A synopsis of the HOT including the safeguards built into the agreement.
• A note on valuation and the rationale for this deal.
• A steps paper on how this would be done.
• A note from Erik and Courtney about their aspirations for MFC.

• The club cannot take on any external debt.
• No value can move to the Barmacks other than normal expenses.
• No assets, ground etc, can be sold.
• No change to the club name, colours, home ground can be made without the agreement of 75% of the shareholders.
• The existing loan from the WS to the club remain in place until the final payment is made in six years time and at that point half of the loan is forgiven.
• Given the money the WS holds at present, to meet its commitments over the next six years it needs to raise £100k per annum – 60% of what it currently achieves.

• Fan ownership still embedded at the heart of the club.
• New worlds to explore.
• And two safety nets. Buy back plus no value leaving the club for at least six years.

Which is why we are recommending it unanimously as a Board.

September kicked off with the crowning of the August player of the month. Dan Casey would win the fans vote having scored his first Motherwell goal, played every minute of every match and won a penalty against Kilmarnock. 

The new faces kept coming, with the latest addition of a young left-back called Georgie Gent joining the team on loan from Blackburn until the end of the season.

Motherwell continued their fine run of form and extended their undefeated run in the league to 10 games, with a win over Hearts at Tynecastle, their first win there in four years. Callum Slattery’s completed a wonderful team goal to secure the 1-0 win.

We took some time away from the football pitch and spent the afternoon with Blair Spittal and his dog Simba, as Spittal prepares for the arrival of his first child.

Joe Efford departed the club having joined in January 2022.

We had five players away on international duty, Bevis Mugabi hopes of reaching AFCON fell at the final hurdle after Uganda’s win over Niger wasn’t enough to secure qualification. Brodie Spencer got a call-up to the first-team Northern Ireland squad after he was initially named in the Under 21s. Lennon Miller made his first Scotland Under 19 appearance.

The return to league action seen Motherwell somehow come away with nothing against St Mirren at Fir Park.

Always an interesting time of year is the players finding out their ratings in the latest Fifa game, the boys discovered the final scores ahead of the new EAFC 24 launch.

It would be same unlucky story for Motherwell as they came away from Ibrox with nothing, after a Cyriel Dessers deflection secured a 1-0 win for Rangers, despite the ‘Well having plenty chances.

The other half of the old firm would take all three points after three goals in the last six minutes of the match at Fir Park.

The Supporter Liaison Officers (SLOs) have a new signing of their own this summer, with the addition of Chris Thomson to the team.

Chris will join Russell Hepburn and Kate Kelter who now have a season of SLO duties under their belts. The trio will be on hand home and away next season to help enhance the match day experience for fans.

Lifelong Motherwell fan Chris is proud to follow the Steelmen, and even prouder that his children have followed in his footsteps and regularly accompany him to games.

“I sit in the Cooper Stand with my family so I understand the importance of taking young ‘Well fans to the games not just at home, but away as well,” says Chris.

His work in Learning and Development means he’s well versed in supporting and working with others. He adds: “I’m always communicating, so that makes me pretty approachable.

“This role is about being a bridge between fans and the club. No matter what the feedback is I want to hear it and address the issues with the club.

“I look forward to meeting you and if you see me please come and say hello.”

Ticketing and travel information for away games will continue to be communicated through X (formerly Twitter) account: @MotherwellFCSLO. Further information is available on the SLO page of the website.

The thrill for the start of the new season was growing stronger, but just the day before the season began, Motherwell made a new addition to their forward line. 

Theo Bair joined the ranks after departing St Johnstone in the summer and would be thrust straight into the starting 11 for the first match against Dundee.

Motherwell B exited the SPFL Trust Trophy at the first hurdle, after a penalty shootout defeat to Tranent.

Stuart Kettlewell added Mika Biereth to his growing list of attacking options, with the Danish Under 21 international joining on loan from Arsenal.

The first player of the month award of the season would go to young starlet Lennon Miller after his two goals, becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer in the process, and one assist in the four Viaplay Cup games.

Bair would get off to the best possible start for his new club, netting a first-half opener against Dundee, at a rain soaked Dundee. Lyall Cameron levelled proceedings in the second-half, holding the Steelmen to an opening day draw.

Seven days later, it was time for the other new striker to make an instant impact. Having been named on the bench, Mika Biereth came on just after the hour mark. It wouldn’t take him long to make his mark, beating Louis Stevenson in the tussle before setting up Conor Wilkinson for the opener against Hibernian. He was at it again with five minutes to go, giving chase to Lennon Miller’s ball through before finishing to seal the first three points of the season.

Barry Maguire went south, joining up with Kidderminster Harriers on loan until January.

Next up, the ‘Well brought a hefty following to Paisley as they faced St Mirren in the last 16 in the Viaplay Cup. Caolan Boyd-Munce’s first half strike seen the hosts advance to the next stage.

The game would be marred with controversy as Mika Biereth picked up a serious knee injury that seen the Dane return to Arsenal for recovery.

Lennon Miller and Bevis Mugabi were called up by their countries, with Miller being named in the Under 21 Scotland squad for the first time.

There was another new face in North Lanarkshire, as Brodie Spencer joined on loan from Huddersfield until the end of the season, providing international experience to the squad.

It didn’t get much later against Kilmarnock for Brodie Spencer and Motherwell, when Harry Paton won the game with the last kick of the ball in the 98th minute to make it nine Premiership wins on the bounce. Marley Watkins opened the scoring for Killie but Dan Casey’s first ‘Well goal levelled terms.

The Women of Steel got their first Lanarkshire Derby win of the season, defeating Accies 4-0 at K-Park thanks to a hat trick from Carla Boyce and a Kaitlyn Canavan strike.

Liam Kelly made the latest Scotland squad, as the Tartan Army closed in on EURO 2024 qualification. Brodie Spencer was named in the Under 21 Northern Ireland squad after his impressive debut display in the claret and amber.

We take a trip down memory lane as we revisit some players who have worn the claret and amber between the sticks. 

Luke Daniels

A product of the Manchester United youth academy, Luke Daniels made the switch to West Brom in 2004.

He arrived at Fir Park on loan for the second half of the 2007/08 season. At the time, Graeme Smith was the number one choice keeper, so Daniels had to spend most of time in North Lanarkshire on the bench.

However, his chance came in May when Celtic visited Fir Park and Daniels was handed his debut between the sticks. Celtic came away with a narrow 2-1 win that day, but Daniels would get the nod in the final game of the season against Hibernian at Easter Road. Keeping a clean sheet, the Steelmen came away with a 2-0 win that day.

He returned to West Brom, and remained on the books there for ten years. He may have only made three appearances for the Baggies in that ten years, but Daniels would go out on loan on a number of occasions.

Loan spells with Shrewsbury Town, Tranmere Rovers, Charlton Athletic, Rochdale, Bristol Rovers and Southend United would see the shot stopper gain plenty first-team experience before he left West Brom in 2015.

He would go on to make over 100 appearances for Scunthorpe before joining Brentford and and Middlesborough. Daniels was most recently with Forest Green Rovers and has now become a free agent this summer.

With 148 appearances in League one, over 25 in the Championship and even one Premier League appearance thanks to an injury to number one West Brom keeper Ben Foster, Daniels has gone on to have a fruitful career in the game and become a reliable keeper for a number of teams.

John Ruddy

He came through the ranks at Cambridge United and earned the name “Iceman”, John Ruddy was impressing under difficult circumstances.

After making his debut in 2004, Ruddy became first choice at the U’s and despite them getting relegated, he kept a number of clean sheets and conceded only 45 goals in the league.

Having went on trial with Manchester United, Everton came calling and secured his signature. Manager David Moyes was seriously impressed with his displays in training and touted him as the next big thing.

Ruddy went out on loan to Walsall, Rushden & Diamonds, Chester City, Stockport County, Wrexham, Bristol City, Stockport County and Crewe Alexandra.

At the start of the 2009/10 season, Jim Gannon signed Ruddy on a six-month loan from Everton. He went into direct competition with Michael Fraser and Sebastian Kosiorowski for a place in goal.

Gannon, under his second spell with Ruddy, trusted him with the number one jersey and was placed in goals against Romania outfit Steaua București, saving a penalty in the first-leg.

The hype was building around Ruddy as he kept clean sheets against both Celtic and Rangers, also saving a Barry Robson penalty in the December.

With Ruddy flying and both clubs keen, it was agreed Ruddy would remain in Lanarkshire until the end of the season. 39 games and 15 clean sheets later, Ruddy’s time in ML1 drew to a close but not after Motherwell secured more European football and Ruddy claiming the player of the year award.

Following his loan spell with Motherwell, he earned a move to the English Championship with Norwich City on a permanent deal. Making 242 appearances across a seven year spell, he featured in the Premier League and even had the captain’s armband on one occasion.

During his spell at Carrow Road, Roy Hodgson would name Ruddy in his England squad ahead of Euro 2012. He missed the tournament through injury but made his England debut in August 2012 in a friendly against Italy.

His next move would be to Wolves in 2017, where he earned promotion to the Premier League as champions in his first season. His performances earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year and was awarded the EFL’s Golden Glove Award for the most clean sheets with 24.

He moved onto Birmingham City in 2022, where it was expected he would be the number two. That didn’t prove to be the case as Ruddy has went on to play 89 times for City and was even voted players’ player of the year for the 2022/23 season.

Ruddy’s contract at Birmingham has expired after their relegation to League One, however he has been offered a new deal as they look to bounce straight back to the Championship next season.

Darren Randolph

Darren Randolph arrived in England in 2004 to sign for Charlton Athletic. That would be the beginning for a six-year relationship with the London outfit, where he spent time on loan with Welling United, Accrington Stanley, Gillingham, Bury and Hereford United.

Each loan had varying successes but one of the highest points of Randolph’s early career was making his Premier League debut against Liverpool for Charlton in 2007.

He made 20 appearances for Charlton, keeping six clean sheets in those matches.

In the summer of 2010 with his contract expired, Charlton offered Randolph a new contract however he opted to make the switch to Fir Park.

He signed a three-year deal and with fan favourite John Ruddy vacated the number one jersey, had big gloves to fill. Craig Brown handed him his debut in the Europa League against Breiðablik, where Motherwell progressed to the next round.

In that first season, he ended up breaking John Ruddy’s record of 15 clean sheets in a season, finished third in the league and reached the Scottish Cup final.

His second season in claret and amber would also prove to be a success. Motherwell would finish second in the table, qualifying for the Champions League, with Randolph continuing to be a pivotal part in the club’s success. He was named in the PFA Scotland’s team of the year.

Entering the final year of his contract, he played in the Champions League and Europa League ties against Panathinaikos and Levante. His consistency and impressive shot stopping ability, seen him earn his first cap for Ireland against Oman on the 11 September 2012.

This didn’t distract the number one and he went on to be named in the PFA Scotland’s team of the year again, alongside Shaun Hutchinson, Michael Higdon and Nicky Law, as the team finished second place.

After a successful three-year spell, manager Stuart McCall made it clear it would difficult to retain Randolph at the of his contract, which proved to be the case. He departed for the English Championship with Birmingham City. He remained at St Andrews for two seasons, making just shy of 100 appearances in that time, missing very little matches before moving onto West Ham where he would go onto make a number of Premier League appearances, and even signed a four-year deal in that time.

He moved for a report £5 million to Middlesbrough, where he made it into the 2018–19 Championship Team of the Season thanks to his displays.

A reported £4 million move back to London seen him return to West Ham, and although he stayed for three years, game time was limited and he played only five league matches in that time.

In 2023, he joined Bournemouth where he didn’t make an appearance and it was announced this summer that he would depart the Cherries.

With 50 Ireland caps to his name, including being part of the Irish squad that went on an incredible run at Euro 2016 playing Sweden, Belgium, Italy and France, Randolph has 199 Championship appearances, alongside 34 Premier League. He has reached the top of the English leagues and left Motherwell fans with a number of memories in his three impressive years at Fir Park.

Gunnar Nielson

Having began his career in the Faroe Islands and Denmark, Blackburn Rovers signed Gunnar Nielson in 2007. It was after one year that Motherwell drummed up their interest in the Faroese stopper and brought him to North Lanarkshire on a six month loan in 2008.

That initial loan spell amounted to nothing and he would go back to Blackburn at the end of the season. Mark Hughes, who signed him at Rovers, brought him to Manchester City in 2009.

He would be loaned out to Wrexham and Tranmere Rovers and ended up making his Premier League debut in 2010, replacing Shay Given against Arsenal. It was a bit of international history as he was the first Faroese footballer to play in the Premier League.

Eventually leaving city in 2012, Neilson would move to Denmark with Silkeborg. It was April by the time he arrived there Motherwell, under the influence of Gordon Marshall, brought Neilson back to Fir Park for a second spell.

It was a straight shootout between Nielson and Lee Hollis for the jersey and injury to Hollis meant the Faroese got his chance. His debut came against Kuban Krasnodar in the Europa League over in Russia, where Kuban won 1-0.

He then had a run of games between the sticks, and went on to make 23 appearances for the club during the 2013/14 season, as Motherwell finished runners up in the Scottish Premiership. He helped his side claim a point against Celtic at Fir Park when he saved a Kris Commons penalty.

His second season in claret and amber would see him remain on the bench mostly and he moved onto Iceland with Stjarnan 2015, the team who ironically knocked the ‘Well out of Europe earlier that same season. After 22 games there, he moved to Icelandic champions Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar where he played until 2023. 

The 37-year-old played 168 times there and seemingly hung up the gloves last season. Capped 70 times for his country and becoming captain in 2016, Nielson was the number one stopper for his nation and picked up two club trophies in his career.

Connor Ripley

Connor Ripley was with Blackburn Rovers as a youngster before switching to Middlesbrough in 2009. It was Gordon Strachan who brought him to Teeside but it would be Tony Mowbray who would give him his first chance in the senior team.

He stayed at the Boro for eight years but as has been the trend in this piece, he went out on loan for most of that time. With some successful loans and others not so successful, and having played under Graham Potter in Sweden, Motherwell would come calling in July 2015.

Signed on a season-long loan, he started between the sticks on the opening day trip to Inverness. That would the first of 40 appearances for the club that season, which had some memorable moments including a win over Celtic at Parkhead.

His strong performances kept Craig Samson and Dan Twardzik out the picture and overall, he returned South a better player.

He joined Oldham under Steven Robinson and Ian Baraclough following his time in ML1 and continued to impress as he won the player of the year award there.

Burton Albion, Bury and Accrington Stanley would follow next for Ripley on loan before he moved on from Middlesbrough permanently to join Preston North End under Alex Neil on a three-year-deal. Three years and only ten appearances, he moved to Morecambe in 2022 where Derek Adams named him captain.

He once again won a player of the year award however Morecambe’s relegation meant he moved on at in 2023. His current team is Port Vale and although they were relegated to League Two, he was a standout performer for Darren Moore’s side. It looks to be the case that he will stay at the Vale for 24/25.

Another player who got his first run of consistent games, Ripley’s career has been steady since his departure from Fir Park and with him only being 31, there’s plenty left in the tank for the shot stopper.

George Long

Born and raised in Sheffield, George Long became Sheffield United’s youngest goalkeeper at 17 years old when he made his debut in 2011.

After impressing in the Youth team, he signed a long term deal in 2012 that seen him commit until 2016. Although the plan was for him to be second choice, injuries meant Long became a regular for the Blades.

A change in manager’s seen plans change at Sheffield United and Long would spend time out on loan. In February, deadline day, Long was recruited by Ian Baraclough.

With 15 appearances and three clean sheets between then and the end of the season, Long steadied the ship between the sticks in what was a tricky year for the Steelmen. He was strong and commanding overall and impressed in the relegation playoff victory over Rangers at the end of the season to keep the ‘Well in the top flight.

He returned to Sheffield and under new manager Nigel Atkins, was named first choice. However, Mark Howard would earn the jersey and he would become a cup keeper. However, he impressed when he played in cup games and got his position back.

Come February 2016, Long had made 100 starts for his boyhood club and got a new contract under Chris Wilder. He went out on loan again and decided the time was right to move on after seven years as a professional at the club.

Hull City would be his next destination in the Championship where he enjoyed regular game time. In three years, he amassed 65 games for the club and is moved on Millwall in 2021.

He is currently playing with Norwich, where he made 12 appearances last season, all of which came in October and November. At present, it looks like he will remain with the Canaries as they push for promotion back to the Premier League next season.

His stint may have been shorter at the club, but his saves at Ibrox in the relegation playoff win will be remembered in what was a game of the highest importance.

The football may been temporarily stopped on the pitch, but off the pitch we’re still working hard.  

As the beginning of the 2024/25 season creeps closer and closer, we’re continually looking for ways we can improve your experience when you visit Fir Park, and ways we can improve your experience as a fan as a whole.

That’s why we have created a short survey, ranging from travelling to the stadium to club events. We value your feedback and opinion and want to hear them.

The 2024 Fan Survey can be found online here.

Please answer all the questions as honestly as possible and we will collate and look to take this feedback on board going forward.